Perceptions of healthcare professionals regarding the use of nasogastric tube feeding in Malta

Abstract

This research investigates healthcare professionals’ perceptions when working with individuals requiring nasogastric (NG) tube feeding in Malta. This study aims to investigate the perceptions of local healthcare professionals working in the in-patient setting at an acute hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, and a long-term care facility regarding nasogastric tube feeding. This study is a qualitative study and contains a total of 12 participants (Nurses, Doctors, Speech and Language Pathologists, Dietitians and Nutritionists) who were interviewed using a semi-structured interview developed by the researcher based on the literature review. The interviews were conducted online on a one-to-one basis. Thematic analysis was used to analyse and interpret the data. Findings indicate that perceptions of NG tube feeding are often agreeable among healthcare professionals, such as its purpose, importance and associated positives and adverse events. However, some views were no synonymous as there were disagreements between some participants, such as some perceive the NG tube as invasive while others do not, and some advocate for using the NG tube sooner rather than later as a preventative technique while others advise for it to be used as a last resort. Results also show that participants often seek input from various healthcare professionals, which indicates the importance of a multidisciplinary team approach to NG tube cases. Clinical implications and recommendations were also discussed at the end of this research based on the participants' suggestions, including the requirement for further in-depth training and changes to clinical practice regarding the use of nasogastric tube feeding in Malta.